GUAM: Super Typhoon Bavi neared Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands on Saturday with category-5-equivalent winds, prompting emergency declarations across the US Pacific territories.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre said Bavi was several hundred kilometres east of the archipelago at 7:00am Guam time. The storm carried sustained winds of 259 kph and gusts of 314 kph, according to the centre.
The US National Weather Service warned of a “grim outlook” for the Marianas and said residents should expect at least tropical storm conditions.
Residents queued at gas stations and bought plywood, food, bottled water and other essentials in recent days, AFP reported.
Both Guam and the Northern Marianas declared states of emergency as storm preparations replaced planned celebrations for the United States’ 250th anniversary.
Read: NDMA Weather Alert Warns of Floods, Landslides in North
Workers at Pacific Islands Club Saipan boarded windows, secured outdoor furniture and stocked first aid kits on Friday.
Reymark Castro, the resort’s sports, entertainment and activities manager, said staff were working to reduce damage and prepare for the storm’s aftermath.
The American Red Cross said some residents were still in temporary shelters or under makeshift roofs after Super Typhoon Sinlaku hit in April.
Read: NASA El Niño Warning Follows Warm Pacific Wave Data
Sinlaku knocked out power, uprooted trees, overturned vehicles and damaged roofs across the islands.
The World Meteorological Organisation said El Niño had begun in the tropical Pacific and was likely to be strong.
